Editing American Beauty (1999 film) (section)

===Sexuality and repression===
Pennington argues that ''American Beauty'' defines its characters through their sexuality. Lester's attempts to relive his youth are a direct result of his lust for Angela,<ref name="pennington 104">{{harvnb|Pennington|2007|p=104}}</ref> and the state of his relationship with Carolyn is in part shown through their lack of sexual contact. Also sexually frustrated, Carolyn has an affair that takes her from "cold perfectionist" to more of a carefree soul who "[sings] happily along with" the music in her car.<ref name="pennington 105-106" /> Jane and Angela constantly reference sex, through Angela's descriptions of her supposed sexual encounters and the way the girls address each other.<ref name="pennington 105-106">{{harvnb|Pennington|2007|pp=105–106}}</ref> Their nude scenes are used to communicate their vulnerability.<ref name="chapter 25" /><ref name="chapter 18" /> By the end of the film, Angela's hold on Jane has weakened until the only power she has over her friend is Lester's attraction to her.<ref name="chapter 23">{{harvnb|Mendes|Ball|2000|loc=chapter 23}}</ref> Col. Fitts reacts with disgust to meeting Jim and Jim; he asks, "How come these faggots always have to rub it in your face? How can they be so shameless?" To which Ricky replies, "That's the thing, Dad—they don't feel like it's anything to be ashamed of." Pennington argues that Col. Fitts's reaction is not homophobic, but an "anguished self-interrogation".<ref name="pennington 106">{{harvnb|Pennington|2007|p=106}}</ref>

With other turn-of-the-millennium films such as ''[[Fight Club]]'' (1999), ''[[In the Company of Men]]''&nbsp;(1997), ''[[American Psycho (film)|American Psycho]]''&nbsp;(2000), and ''[[Boys Don't Cry (1999 film)|Boys Don't Cry]]''&nbsp;(1999), ''American Beauty'' "raises the broader, widely explored issue of masculinity in crisis".<ref name="Hausmann 117">{{harvnb|Hausmann|2004|p=117}}</ref> Professor Vincent Hausmann charges that in their reinforcement of masculinity "against threats posed by war, by consumerism, and by feminist and queer challenges", these films present a need to "focus on, and even to privilege" aspects of maleness "deemed 'deviant{{'"}}. Lester's transformation conveys "that he, and not the woman, has borne the brunt of [lack of being]"{{refn|According to Hausmann, "These films appear to suggest that [the film theorist] [[Kaja Silverman]]'s wish 'that the typical male subject, like his female counterpart, might learn to live with lack'—namely, the 'lack of being' that remains 'the irreducible condition of subjectivity'—has not yet been fulfilled."<ref name="Hausmann 117" /> See Silverman, Kaja (1992). ''Male Subjectivity at the Margins'' (New York: [[Routledge]]): 65+20. {{ISBN|9780415904193}}.|group="nb"}} and he will not stand for being emasculated.<ref name="Hausmann 117" /> Lester's attempts to "strengthen traditional masculinity" conflict with his responsibilities as a father. Although the film portrays the way Lester returns to that role positively, he does not become "the hypermasculine figure implicitly celebrated in films like ''Fight Club''". Hausmann concludes that Lester's behavior toward Angela is "a misguided but nearly necessary step toward his becoming a father again".<ref name="hausmann 118" />

Hausmann says the film "explicitly affirms the importance of upholding the prohibition against incest";<ref>{{harvnb|Hausmann|2004|p=113}}</ref> a recurring theme of Ball's work is his comparison of the taboos against incest and homosexuality.<ref>{{harvnb|Munt|2006|p=267}}</ref> Instead of making an overt distinction, ''American Beauty'' looks at how their repression can lead to violence.<ref name="Munt 266">{{harvnb|Munt|2006|p=266}}</ref> Col. Fitts is so ashamed of his homosexuality that it drives him to murder Lester.<ref name="pennington 106" /> Ball said, "The movie is in part about how homophobia is based in fear and repression and about what [they] can do."<ref name="ball" /> The film implies two unfulfilled incestuous desires:<ref name="Munt 265">{{harvnb|Munt|2006|p=265}}</ref> Lester's pursuit of Angela is a manifestation of his lust for his own daughter,<ref name="Munt 264">{{harvnb|Munt|2006|p=264}}</ref> while Col. Fitts's repression is exhibited through the almost sexualized discipline with which he controls Ricky.<ref name="Munt 265" /> Consequently, Ricky realizes that he can only hurt his father by falsely telling him he is homosexual, while Angela's vulnerability and submission to Lester reminds him of his responsibilities and the limits of his fantasy.<ref name="chapter 23" /> Col. Fitts represents Ball's father,<ref>{{harvnb|Hausmann|2004|p=127}}</ref> whose repressed homosexual desires led to his own unhappiness.<ref>{{harvnb|Hausmann|2004|p=148}}</ref> Ball rewrote Col. Fitts to delay revealing him as homosexual.<ref name="Munt 266" />